On My Wishlist (24)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.



Ruthless Game by Christine Feehan:
A woman on the run, with more to live for than she imagined, collides with a danger more lethal than she feared in the all-new Ghostwalker scorcher by #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan…

Ghostwalker Kane Cannon is pure male—animalistic, sexual, protective, instinctive—and his past missions have prepared him for anything. But his newest assignment, to rescue hostages in Mexico , plunges him into a hot zone he never anticipated: the hiding place of Rose Patterson—fugitive, ex-lover, a fellow Ghostwalker pregnant with his child.

Rose is in flight from the insidious experiments that still live in her dreams, and from the madman who’d do anything to take her child. Of all the Ghostwalkers enlisted to hunt her down, Kane is the only one she can trust. But as their passion reignites, the stakes are raised. Because Kane is now a wanted man as well. And together they’re about to face the most desperate challenge of all: staying together and staying alive.





Grave Witch by Kalayna Price:
As a private investigator and consultant for the police, Alex Craft has seen a lot of dark magic. But even though she’s on good terms with Death himself—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of jeans—nothing has prepared her for her latest case. Alex is investigating a high profile murder when she’s attacked by the ‘shade’ she’s raising, which should be impossible. To top off her day, someone makes a serious attempt on her life, but Death saves her. Guess he likes having her around…

To solve this case Alex will have to team up with tough homicide detective Falin Andrews. Falin seems to be hiding something—though it’s certainly not his dislike of Alex—but Alex knows she needs his help to navigate the tangled webs of mortal and paranormal politics, and to track down a killer wielding a magic so malevolent, it may cost Alex her life…and her soul.





Tithe by Holly Black:
Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces the sixteen-year-old back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death.

Friday 56...Crank (31)

The book today: Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Yet his voice was right beside my ear, Bree.

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Freaksville by Kitty Keswick

Freaksville:
High school is hard enough when you’re normal. There’s peer pressure, book reports, the in crowd and the enormous zit that has a life of its own. Having a family whose skeletons in the closet lean toward the paranormal is not a topper on anyone’s list. Sophomore Kasey Maxwell is busy juggling the typical teen angst. Add visions, ghosts and hairy four-legged monsters into the mix and you get FREAKSVILLE. It’s a wonder Kasey has survived.

Every woman in the Maxwell family has the gift of sight. A talent sixteen-year-old Kasey would gladly give up. All she wants is a normal life. Shopping and talking about boys with her best friend and long-time sidekick Gillie Godshall consume her days. Until Kasey has a vision about Josh Johnstone, the foreign exchange student from England. The vision leads her into new waters, a lead in a play, a haunted theater…and into the arms of the Josh. Yet, both Kasey and Josh have secrets lurking in dark corners. Can Kasey’s new romance survive FREAKSVILLE?


Kitty Keswick’s debut novel has left me demanding more of Kasey’s story, her powers are still relatively unexplored by the end of the book and I cannot wait to learn more. This book was funny and yet mysterious. The characters were interesting and kept me reading to find out more. There were, at times, moments when I found Kasey’s voice to be irritating and immature, but seeing as though she is only sixteen-years-old it didn’t bother me too much. A vision of danger leads Kasey into following Josh, the hot British exchange student, and when she gets caught they share a steamy kiss creating a connection that neither wants to break. Circumstances have Kasey auditioning for the school play and she is surprised when she is named to play the lead heroine. Mysteries begin to rapidly unfold in Kasey’s life much the same as Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as the relationship between Kasey and Joshua grows stronger. An angry ghost haunting the theater however has other plans for Kasey and her friends. The friends become trapped in the basement of the theater one weekend and it’s very close to the full moon. Kasey soon learns the truth about a secret Josh has been keeping and although it frightens her, she accepts him for who he is. Someone else is luring in the dark recesses of the theater basement and Kasey and her friends face a danger far worse than that of the ghost.

Future Favorites (14)

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature over at Electrifying Reviews. I post about a book that is yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!

Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks:
Release Date: January 4, 2011 by Berkley

Ex-cop Lily Yu and werewolf Rule Turner’s engagement announcement is stirring up ugly passions in the Humans First camp. There’s hate mail, followed by death threats. And when a lupus in Tennessee goes on a killing spree, Lily realizes that it’s only the opening skirmish in an all-out war.

Fractured: Happily Never After? by Joanna Karaplis

Fractured:
Everyone knows a fairytale or two. They’re the kind of stories that seem to stick with you. Maybe it’s the magic. Maybe it’s the handsome prince. Or maybe they’re just the absolute perfect place to lose yourself for a little while.

But what would happen if Snow White were around today? Would Cinderella still need a fairy godmother? And would the Little Mermaid show up on YouTube?

Joanna Karaplis has put an unexpected spin on Snow White, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid; she’s quietly fractured the stories and then reassembled them for the 21st Century. So, while there may not be a whole lot of horse-drawn carriages and magic potions, you can be sure that there will be at least one evil witch and maybe even a handsome prince (or two)…


Joanna Karaplis turned these three fairytales into cute modern stories. She completely removed the magic from the stories and yet it’s easy to decipher what tale she ‘fractured’ to create her own story. I love when fairy tales get re-told and while I wish the stories might have been a little longer, I truly enjoyed reading Joanna’s new tales. In Snow White and the Seven Dorks, Yuki (Snow) becomes friends with seven of the computer geeks in her new school and is rescued from a troubling situation by a most unlikely prince. Cyberella has Cindy falling for a mystery guy at a masked party, she is forced to leave early by her angry stepmother and little does she know that the guy is her prince charming in disguise. And in Swan Song, Adriana has the most beautiful singing voice but her large nose is all everyone ever sees. Plastic surgery will take care of the nose, but the cost may be more than she is willing to pay.

Wednesday Random Recommendation (30)

Strange Angels:
Dru Anderson has been “strange” for as long as she can remember. She travels from town to town with her father, hunting the things that go bump in the night and eat the unwary. It’s a weird life, but a good one–until it all explodes and a zombie busts into her new house.

Alone, terrified, and trapped in an icy town, Dru’s going to need every inch of her wit and training to stay alive. Can she trust the boy who is just a little too adult–and just happens to get bit by a werwulf? Or the strange blue-eyed boy who tells her she’s heir to a long-forgotten power? Can she even trust her own instincts?
Because Dru is not the first in her family to be killed by the darkness of the Real World. The monsters have decided to hunt back–and now Dru has to figure out who to trust, who to fight, and when to run. And not incidentally, she has to figure out how she’s going to get out of this alive.
And she has to do it by sundown, or it’s all over…


The first of Lili St. Crow’s Strange Angels series, this book is filled with non-stop action. Dru is one tough, kick-butt girl you don’t want to mess with. Her strength comes from deep within her and once the fight for survival is over she’s not afraid to show her emotions and cry. Dru’s relationship with Graves begins after the tragedy of her father’s death and they are just two kids looking to survive. As Graves becomes more immersed in what Dru knows as the Real World, he learns that the things that go bump in the night are more real than he ever imagined.





I invite and welcome anyone interested in participating to post their own "Random Recommendation" (original post) on their blog (and include a link back to this blog) and join in the fun! Some books might not be very recent reads, but I hope that just helps these (sometimes forgotten) books earn a spot on your own bookshelf!

The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry

The Perfect Love Song:
In The Perfect Love Song, Callahan Henry tells the story of Jimmy Sullivan, who has been living on the road with his brother, Jack, and their band The Unknown Souls. The road is Jimmy’s only home and music his only savior until he falls in love with a beautiful girl, Charlotte Carrington. Spending time with Charlotte inspires Jimmy to write a love song for her, which becomes an overnight sensation and is dubbed “The Perfect Love Song.”

As Jimmy finds himself caught up in the desire for fame and fortune, the genuine lyrics of the song are overshadowed by his career ambitions. He begins to lose touch with Charlotte and makes a decision to miss his brother’s wedding in Ireland for a chance to put on a show in New York City.

But on Christmas Eve Jimmy comes to a crossroads: Will he finally get the chance to perform on one of the biggest stages of his career?—or will he find his way back to his family, to Ireland…and to the love of his life, Charlotte?

Patti Callahan Henry has written a sweetly romantic story about life and priorities, it’s about a man who didn’t believe in love and what he finds is the greatest love of his life. The story is told from the perspective of a third perspective, and it’s not until the end of the book that we find out who it is (no I’m not going to tell), and there were times that I felt that the narrator’s voice was stronger than that of the characters. Although I really enjoyed the story as a whole, I didn’t feel much of a connection to any of the characters. If they had been explored a little deeper the story would have been so much richer, instead I felt the surface was barely skimmed. Jimmy loses sight of what’s most important in his life to go on tour during the holiday season and the scheduling will make him arrive too late for his brother’s wedding. It takes a compelling visit from someone in his past to make him see that by missing his brother’s wedding, he would be losing more than he is prepared to give. A series of what seem to be Christmas miracles enables Jimmy’s journey to Ireland success – and just in time.

Teaser Tuesdays (23)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly event hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.


Today's book: ALPHA by Rachel Vincent

“I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to hit him or hold his hand and walk him back to preschool. Alex was just a kid. He was an impressionable teenager whose sense of right and wrong had been forever warped by a power-hungry father. Unfortunately, he was also an armed teenager who could throw a full-grown man into the next room.” (Page 160)

Here is how it works:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2 or 3) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Remember to show the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Changeling by Yasmine Galenorn

Changeling:
We're the D'Artigo Sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we're savvy--and sexy--operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch whose magic is as unpredictable as the weather. My sister Menolly is a vampire trying to get the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Delilah. When I'm under stress, I transform into a tabby cat--and a series of violent murders is really getting me bent out of shape...

Someone's been slaughtering the Weres of the Rainier Puma Pride, and my sisters and I have been enlisted to investigate by Zachary Lyonnesse, golden boy of the werepumas. Right away we smelled demon trouble, and we tracked it directly into the snare of the Hunters Moon Clan, sworn enemies of Puma Pride. But there's more than Were rivalry at work. It's that old demon Shadow Wing who is setting a deadly snare for the pumas. We have to find out why, which means a visit one to of the Immortals. Unfortunately, for my sisters and me, our half-human blood is just enough to put us in mortal danger. At the Wayfarer Inn, a portal to Otherworld and the local hangout for humans and beasties alike, our fellow operative Jocko's been murdered. Every clue points to Shadow Wing, the soul-munching, bad-ass leader of the Subterranean Realms. He's made it clear that he aims to raze humankind to the ground, turning both Earth and Otherworld into his private playground. Our assignment: keep Shadow Wing and his minions from creeping into Earth via the Wayfarer. The demons figure they're in like Flynn. After all, with only my 'bumbling' sisters and me standing in the way, how can they miss? But we've got a secret for them: faulty wiring or not, nobody kicks ass like the D'Artigo girls.

Yasmine Galenorn has an incredible talent for taking you deep into her imagination where the world of the D’Artigo sisters quickly becomes your own. This is the second book of the Otherworld series and I was pulled in from page one; there was never a dull moment. The incredible twists and turns kept me completely oblivious to anything else and the dynamics of each character are amazing. This book is told from Delilah’s point of view, so we see everyone through her perspective and yet you can still view their individuality. Each sister has their own power and together they are stronger as they fight for what is right and to protect Eathside from Shadow Wing’s attempt to rule the world. Faced with a nest of werespiders, Delilah is forced to gain assistance from the Autumn Lord, a dangerous Elemental who claims Delilah as one of his Death Maidens. The sisters must solve the mystery of the Puma murders and the deeper they investigate the more dangerous life becomes. On top of fighting for her life and those of her sisters, Delilah is faced with strong feelings for the Zachary, a member of the Rainer Puma Pride, who first garnered her assistance in the murders taking place within his pride. And her feelings for Chase, a FBH (full blooded human) and detective working for both Earthside and Otherworld’s interests, are becoming stronger -- and her confusion causes her Fae side to war with her Human side.

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? (23)

This is a fun weekly meme hosted by One Persons Journey Through a World of Books.


Books read last week:
Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst



The book I'm reading now:
Changeling:
We're the D'Artigo Sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we're savvy--and sexy--operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch whose magic is as unpredictable as the weather. My sister Menolly is a vampire trying to get the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Delilah. When I'm under stress, I transform into a tabby cat--and a series of violent murders is really getting me bent out of shape...

Someone's been slaughtering the Weres of the Rainier Puma Pride, and my sisters and I have been enlisted to investigate by Zachary Lyonnesse, golden boy of the werepumas. Right away we smelled demon trouble, and we tracked it directly into the snare of the Hunters Moon Clan, sworn enemies of Puma Pride. But there's more than Were rivalry at work. It's that old demon Shadow Wing who is setting a deadly snare for the pumas. We have to find out why, which means a visit one to of the Immortals. Unfortunately, for my sisters and me, our half-human blood is just enough to put us in mortal danger. At the Wayfarer Inn, a portal to Otherworld and the local hangout for humans and beasties alike, our fellow operative Jocko's been murdered. Every clue points to Shadow Wing, the soul-munching, bad-ass leader of the Subterranean Realms. He's made it clear that he aims to raze humankind to the ground, turning both Earth and Otherworld into his private playground. Our assignment: keep Shadow Wing and his minions from creeping into Earth via the Wayfarer. The demons figure they're in like Flynn. After all, with only my 'bumbling' sisters and me standing in the way, how can they miss? But we've got a secret for them: faulty wiring or not, nobody kicks ass like the D'Artigo girls.


Books that spark my interest this week:
The Perfect Love Song by Patti Callahan Henry
Fractured by Joanna Karaplis
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins